Spread Trading Markets Snapshot

• FTSE 100 gained 0.7% or 44.1 points to 5,989.8.
• FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.8% to 1,119.4.
• DJIA edged up 1.4% or 168.4 points to 12,582.8. NASDAQ advanced 1.5% or 42.5 points to close at 2,816.0. S&P 500 gained 1.4% or 19.0 points to settle at 1,339.7.
• Nikkei 225 index is trading 1.3% higher, at 9,992.2.
• In Asia, crude oil for August delivery is trading 29 cents higher at $95.23 per barrel.
• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.6073, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1043 and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥ 129.80.
• For more on trading stock market indices see spread trading on indices.

UK Spread Trading Markets

• UK markets closed higher on Friday, buoyed by better-than-expected US manufacturing data, and as concerns over Greek debt crisis eased.
• Banks, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC, climbed between 1.7% and 3.7%, as risk appetite increased among investors. Lloyds Banking Group also rose, as various brokers took a positive stance on the stock.
• Miners, ENRC, Antofagasta and Vedanta Resources, advanced between 0.1% and 2.4%, in line with a rise in base metal prices.
• ICAP rallied 5.1%, amid recent bid speculations, while Imperial Tobacco gained 2.2%, on news that the company had raised its cigarette prices in the fiercely competitive Spanish market.
• FTSE 100 gained 0.7% or 44.1 points to 5,989.8. FTSE 250 added 0.9% or 106.2 points to 12,040.3.
• ICAP climbed 5.1%, on the back of recent bid speculations.
• Lloyds Banking Group advanced 3.7%, after UniCredit SpA upgraded the stock to “Hold” from “Sell”. Merrill Lynch Global Research also recommended investors to buy the stock.
• ITV gained 3.2%, amid talks of a cash return and recent speculation that it might be a takeover target for private equity.
• Randgold Resources lost 1.5%, after Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of the stock with an “Underweight” recommendation.
• Lonmin dropped 0.6%, as platinum for October delivery fell 0.5% to $1,716.80 per ounce.
• For more on trading UK shares see spread trading on UK shares.

Forex Spread Trading Markets

• At 0400 BST today, the GBP is trading marginally lower against the USD at $1.6073, 0.1% higher against the EUR at €1.1043 and 0.1% lower against the JPY at ¥129.80.
• The EUR is trading marginally lower against the USD at $ 1.4558. According to a Bloomberg survey, the ECB would increase its benchmark rate to 1.5% from 1.25% in this week.
• The EUR is trading 0.2% lower against the JPY at ¥117.54.
• The AUD / USD forex pair is trading lower as Australian retail sales and building approvals dropped in May from the previous month.
• On Friday, the GBP ended lower against the EUR, after a report showed that the UK manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 51.3 in June from 52 in May.
• The EUR ended higher against the USD, as upbeat US manufacturing data and easing worries over Greek debt crisis boosted demand for risky assets. The US ISM manufacturing index rose unexpectedly from 53.5 to 55.3 in June.
• For more on trading the forex markets see forex spread trading.

Commodities Spread Trading Market Review

• Gold for immediate delivery is trading 0.4% higher today, at $1,493.38 per ounce.
• Gold prices for August delivery declined 1.3% or $20.20 to $1,482.60 per ounce on Friday, as the dollar rose against the major currencies, decreasing the demand for the precious metal as a hedge against inflation.
• In Asia, crude oil for August delivery is trading 29 cents higher at $95.23 per barrel.
• On Friday, crude oil for August delivery closed 0.5% or 48 cents lower at $94.94 per barrel, as investors decided to book profit following recent rally in oil prices. Crude oil prices also fell, following dismal manufacturing data from the UK and China.
• For more on commodities trading see commodities spread trading.